Shampoo woke up with a major headache. She was startled when the face of an unknown man appeared in her field of vision.
"You okay?" he asked.
Shampoo blinked. "Who you?"
"I'm Auron."
Shampoo sat up. She was in a strange town she didn't recognize. She then spotted the man's giant sword.
"Is you samurai?" she asked.
The stranger seemed confused. "What do you mean?"
"You is carrying big sword. Like samurai, yes?"
The man chuckled. "No, can't say I'm one. I am... or rather was... a guardian."
"What guardian?"
"He protects a summoner on his journey to beat Sin."
Shampoo really didn't understand. "You is protecting someone that is weaker than you?"
"Well, you could say that..."
"Then you is samurai. Carry long sword, protect the weak... like a samurai, yes?"
Auron wanted to protest, then decided against it. Again, he chuckled. "I can't argue with that logic."
"Shampoo knew it!"
She stood up. Suddenly, she realized the patches of fur on her arms and the tail. "Aiyah," she said as she felt the cat-ears atop her head. "Why Shampoo all furry? Is Jusenkyo curse bleeding?"
Suddenly, she realized that the strange man was not the only person that was here. "Spatula girl? Violent... AIREN!!"
'Oh boy,' Ukyo thought. 'Here we go again...'
[glomp]
"Airen! Shampoo is happy to see you! Take Shampoo on date, yes?"
"GAH! Shampoo, get off!"
"RANMA!" Akane yelled angrily. "How could you let her hang herself over you like that?"
"Hey, it ain't like I want her to..."
Akane growled and looked like she was ready to pound him.
'Oh no,' Ranma thought. 'She's getting her mallet!'
But then, Akane deflated. "You're lucky you mean so much to me, Ranma," she finally said. "Or else I would have pounded you into the ground. Shampoo, you better get your hands off my future husband RIGHT NOW!"
'Uuuuuhh???' Ukyo now was totally perplexed. 'When did THAT happen? Normally, Akane would just have angrily pounded him and deny that she ever cared about his feelings...'
Then Ukyo pondered about something else.
'So why am I not too upset about this turn of events?'
Shampoo irritatedly let go off Ranma. "Um, violent girl has new dress? Maybe dress too sexily, yes? Is contest of 'dress sexily for Ranma'?"
Ranma's nose almost started to bleed when he imagined about what a 'dress sexily contest' between Shampoo and Akane would be like. And if they would include Ukyo, or Kodachi, or Nabiki, or Yuna...
Ranma shook his head. What was he thinking?
Akane wanted to scream in irritation. "Look, Shampoo! What is the last thing you remember?"
Shampoo thought about that. "Um, funny-looking imp-thing told us to come with Airen to other world, fight big battle. Then suddenly, big light show, and Shampoo is lying on ground in big forest. Then, strange toupee-men come and Shampoo ask them for direction to Airen. And after that..." She blinked. "After that, Shampoo remember NOTHING! Why's that?"
She suddenly stared at Akane. "Violent girl poison Shampoo with food? That's Shampoo's trick, not yours!"
And while Akane and Ranma tried to make Shampoo understand their situation, Auron saw a certain young blitzball player approaching.
----
All of the fiends were gone. Maester Seymour had called back his Aeon and, after taking a last look at Yuna, had left. Luckily, the warrior monks and priests were able to protect Maester Mika from the fiends.
The ship of the Al Bhed had already left the port.
Kasumi wanted to search for Ranma and Akane, but then decided, it would be the best to let them deal with their situation first. So she went with Yuna, Kimahri and Wakka, while they went to the outskirts of town. They agreed with Tidus to meet them there, while he was going to have a talk with Auron.
Yuna still wondered if he was going to go back with Auron, to wherever his home was, or if he would continue to travel with them.
The Besaid Aurochs were a little down, when Wakka bid his farewell. But he gave them the trophy and encouraged them to prepare themselves for the next tournament instead. So they decided to pull themselves together to not to disappoint their cap'n.
When they were waiting for the others, Kasumi nervously asked Yuna: "So, um... any news on why these fiends appeared?"
Yuna shook her head "Not really. I have no idea where they should have come from. Maester Mika is safe, thanks to Maester Seymour."
She then sighed. "Maester Seymour's Aeon... it was so powerful..."
----
Shampoo cocked her head. "So, basically, someone captured Shampoo and messed around with her Jusenkyo curse and mind?"
"That's what we believe," Ukyo nodded.
"Oh! Is not too bad, then. Shampoo actually likes warm fur and cute ears. Is a bit sad about lost memory, though..."
Ranma gulped. He didn't want to know how Shampoo would react if they told them what she did while she was under control of her evil self - the Alpha Fiend!
Shampoo wanted to say something, but suddenly was interrupted by a loud yell of a certain young blitzball player that was verbally assaulting Auron.
"Hey you! Don't just stand there! All of this is your fault! Gettin' swallowed by Sin! Not being able to go back to Zanarkand - everything, everything... I'm telling you, it's all your fault!"
Shampoo looked at the others while holding her more sensitive ears. "Is noisy boy friend of yours?"
Akane nodded. "Let's eavesdrop a little, okay?" she asked.
Ranma really didn't like to spy on Tidus, but who was he to say no to his uncute.... um, that is, BEAUTIFUL, skilled, violent, Berserker fiancee?
They silently hid between a big box. Tidus seemed to have calmed down a little.
"Who are you, anyway?" Tidus asked Auron. "You knew my old man, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Auron answered.
"And you also knew Yuna's father?"
"That's correct."
Tidus shook his head. "Hey man, that's just impossible. No way!"
"Nothing impossible about it," Auron said in his calm manner. "Jecht, Braska and I... Together we defeated Sin ten years ago. Then I went to Zanarkand... where I watched over you. So that one day I could bring you to Spira."
Tidus angrily clenched his teeth. "Why did it have to be me?"
"Jecht asked me to."
----
"Aiyah," Shampoo said. "Shampoo don't understand that at all."
"I don't get it either," Ranma mumbled. "I thought Tidus was from a town that was 1000 years in the future... how can Auron just brought him here from there?"
"Let's listen a little longer," Akane suggested.
"Well, okay," Ranma reluctantly said.
----
"Is he alive?" Tidus just asked, referring to his father.
"It depends what you mean what you mean by 'alive'. He is no longer human. But then... I felt something of Jecht there in that shell, couldn't you? You must felt him when you came in contact with Sin."
Akane let out a quick gasp. Auron turned his head around, but Tidus didn't seem to have heard it.
His head was just spinning from what Auron just told him.
"It can't be..." he whispered.
"Who's there?" Auron called towards the boxes. "Come out!"
"Um, it's only us," Ukyo said while coming out. "Sorry, we didn't mean to interrupt..."
"I thought it would be a stupid idea," Ranma muttered.
Auron sighed. "Well, you might as well hear the story, too..."
"It can't be," Tidus was still mumbling. "It can't be, it can't be..."
Auron returned his attention to the boy. "It is," he simply said, and added - thereby confirming what Akane had already assumed:
"Sin... is Jecht!"
"WHAT?" Ranma shouted. "How can THAT be?"
"No," Tidus shouted. "That's ridiculous! I don't believe you!"
"But it is the truth," Auron replied. "See for yourself. Come with me!"
"And if I say no?" Tidus grumbled.
Auron seemed to think about that. "Every story must have its ending."
"I don't care about your stories!" Tidus angrily yelled.
For a while, no one was saying anything.
"I see," Auron then said. Sorry you feel that way. Fine, then. Come or don't come. It's your decision." He turned around, as if he was going to leave.
"But Tidus," Akane said. "What about Yuna? Don't you want to help her? Help her saving the world from Sin? I mean, even if he's your father... would you rather have Yuna put in danger or let him destroy the cities of the world just because of that?"
"Come on," Ranma shouted. "Do it! You're not a martial artist, but on the other hand, a damn good swordsman. I mean, who else is gonna do it, if not us?"
"What am I supposed to say?" Tidus returned furiously. "He tells me it's my decision. But as you say, I don't have a choice, do I? Auron is the only one that can tell me what's going on, anyways. I have to go! I have to!"
Auron turned back around. "Irritating, I know," he said. "Or are you afraid? It's all right!"
Tidus took a deep breath. "Auron," he finally said in a sad voice. "Will I ever get home? To Zanarkand?"
"That's up to Jecht," Auron replied. "Come! I want to offer my services to Yuna."
Then his gaze went to the four Nerimian martial artists. "I'd rather you wouldn't tell Yuna or her friends about all this. Can you promise not to tell her?"
"Um, I don't really understand all of this, but sure," Akane said.
"Martial artist's honor," Ranma said. Ukyo nodded.
Shampoo just stared. "Um, Shampoo hate to ask, but... What exactly is 'SIN'?"
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(Posted Sun, 16 Jul 2006 18:38)
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